I love chutney.

For some reason, I'm hearing Jamie Oliver’s voice in my head, "Chutney is really such a lovely food. To really appreciate it… you must make it yourself. From a jar is just nasty. But homemade it is soooo lovely".

I suppose if a person has to hear voices in their head... Jamie Oliver telling me to make chutney is pretty benign. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard him mention chutney… but he looks like a chutney eater to me. But he may hate it for all I know.

But I LOVE chutney. I love the sweet jam part of it. I love the fruit. I love the brown sugar. I love the vinegar. I love the spices. I love the memories from when I was living in a drug program and we used to get GIGANTIC donations of fruit of the verge of going bad, and food service would make up big pans of chutney and we would eat it with homemade yogurt (that was of inconsistent quality... but often very good.) But that is the first place I ever had anything as “exotic” as yogurt and chutney and curry… and it was yummy good. But I pretty much eat curry as an excuse to eat chutney. Curry is just a chutney vehical. (Ditto coffee... it is just an excuse for half and half. Since drinking half and half is not exactly the road to good cholesterol.)

I pretty much love everything about chutney... and do make my own. But even my homemade... the calories are pretty much like eating jam straight from the jar. Kind of the only thing I don't like about it - the calories. (and I don’t want to make it with Splenda… that just sounds icky to me. Plus, I think that maybe the sugar is what stops the fruit from rotting… not to mention the raisins adding to the calories. Can‘t bear the thought of leaving out raisins.)

But I love it so much that I truly am showing remarkable restraint when I only use 3 oz (or about 150 calories worth) because I REALLY want is a cup of the stuff. I measure it on a food scale because I’d dump 8-12 oz on my food, other wise.

Anyway, short story long...

I had the idea today of taking two fresh apricots and whirling them in the food processor and then adding the 3 oz of chutney and some ginger to it… and it worked great… and I got about a cup of chutney for much less calories. Next time, I think that I might add a little vinegar to the whirled fruit.

I may very well be the only person on the board inclined to eat chutney by the jar full… but thought that I’d pass this along.

I love chutney, but it's not one of the items I make or purchase because I would be the only one to eat it.

Linda

I sometimes make Chutney with rhubarb. It adds a great tart flavor that goes with other sweets.

Sounds like you are lovin' your chutney!

I can't say I've ever had chutney but from your description I want some, right now!

I did want to mention that I LOVE Jamie Oliver and that is exactly how he would describe it-I love to listen to him and watch him cook. I miss seeing him on tv, he makes the rare appearance here and there but not enough for me. There was a time when I planned on heading to England to meet him, so we could get married and he could cook fabulous meals for me and our adorable children. Then I found out he was already married. Oh well! (I am kidding of course, this was just a fantasy in my head)

Jill